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  Discussion on Punched Horse
Author Message
Member:
Althaea

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 24, 2003 - 1:23 am:

Hi Dr O -
I have a 17 YO Arabian gelding who has been having reoccurring nosebleeds for over a month now. It stops and starts - very small amounts of sometimes pink, sometimes red blood. Bleeds last sometimes as long as 30 minutes. Gelding is in good health (except for some arthritis in the knees). Was a rescue 2 years ago and the only notation on his health record was that he is allergic to Bute.
He went off to spend 3 months at a foster home -potential adoption home. They called me and said he was lame, so I told them to bring him home. I was not there when he arrived - but the foster moms lunatic, yahoo boyfriend was with her. My daughter said she came out to the barn just in time to hear the foster mom crying "You said you wouldn't punch him again!" My daughter noticed a slight trickle of blood running from the near side nostril (same one that has been bleeding).
My question - could the force of a punch fracture a bone in the face? Horse has no visible swelling anywhere on face, head, or neck. Could such a punch somehow injure the sinuses - causing the on and off bleeding?
Thinking perhaps he was fighting with a neighbor and managing to bump the nose, he is now languishing in a sick stall with no one to bother him. Doesn't seem to help - he bleed for about 15 minutes just before dinner.
I have the vet coming on Thursday.
I am just so angry about this guy punching this poor old boy. He's such a sweet old man.
What are your thoughts as to what might be the cause Dr. O?
Thanks!
Member:
Kathleen

Posted on Friday, Sep 26, 2003 - 5:28 pm:

Althaea,
How is this guy doing? I worked for an equine dentist in Virginia who bought a horse from a client when she found out that he had punched the horse in the jaw. She was there doing the horse's teeth for the first time, when the owner was complaining about how this horse embarassed him at a show and he punched it. Several people who were at the show confirmed the story. After she got him home, she had the vet look at him and the xrayed him and the vet said there was a fracture - don't remember all the details. So we know it is possible to do a tremendous amount of damage that way. We had boarded our horses at this place and our gelding mysteriously had his cheek bone fractured there. I hope you had this checked out with the vet. The first vet who examined our gelding didn't take it seriously, just sutured the wound. Later, we took him to Morven Park, where they performed surgery to remove all the bone splinters and clean it out. Let us know.
Kathleen
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Sunday, Sep 28, 2003 - 10:18 am:

Hello Althea,
Certainly enough trauma, as Kathleen outlines above, can cause a nose bleed. In general the average punch would not cause fracture and for those unobserved, I suspect the Yahoo is bragging and probably did something worse and hit the horse with something. The article on Nosebleeds and Epistaxis lists common causes of nosebleeding and how to go about diagnosing them.
DrO
Member:
Althaea

Posted on Sunday, Sep 28, 2003 - 12:47 pm:

Hi Dr O & Kathleen -
Sal goes to the vet clinic next Fri for scope and xrays. Vet thinks the nose is broken. The blood flows are minimal - but occur about 4 times per day.
Did thoroughly read all material in the article - no difinitive info regarding fractures and their prognosis. I rather eliminated the possibility of disease due to the circumstances involved. Couldn't find anything relating to fractures of the nose and treatment guidelines. If there is something I missed please direct me - so I can further educate myself.
Found that the horse also has a possible minor bone chip in the knee that he did not have before. I'm so so angry about the treatment this poor boy recieved.
Needless to say - the "foster family" is going on all the DNA list ASAP. The primary family passed inspection - but the boyfriend was not scrutinized as he was not resident in the home.
At any rate I'll let you know what the clinic discovers.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Monday, Sep 29, 2003 - 6:21 am:

Hello Althea,
The skeletal structure to the head and nose is complicated and each fracture unique so must be evaluated individually. There is very little general information that can be given. Uncomplicated nondisplaced fractures of the maxilla (nose) heal well, while those involving tooth roots often require removal of the involved teeth.
DrO
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